The touring is now over so from this point forward, The Beatles are now strictly a studio band. The first result of this phase? Some album called SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND. There was a time a few decades back when this was called the greatest Beatles album and even the greatest album of all time. These days, it’s hip to call one of the other later Beatles albums, usually REVOLVER or ABBEY ROAD the best, but in the end, none of this matters. SGT. PEPPER is another brilliant piece of work that culturally, at the time, signaled this wonderful concept that the album, more so or at the very least, as much as the single, was king. A concept that lasted until downloading music became the thing and something I wish we could get back to.
While not a full blown concept album like TOMMY, THE WALL, THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY, etc. the seeds for the conceptual album were sown here. The opening title track is Paul basically being an emcee and at the end, he introduces Ringo “Billy Shears” Starr to sing “With a Little Help From My Friends.” I guess we’re to assume the rest of the songs play out like a music hall variety show, but the whole concept of the emcee doesn’t return until the title track’s reprise towards the end of the album. A personal favorite of mine this had to have had some influence on is the highly underrated Who album, THE WHO SELL OUT, released in late 1967. For about half the album, the concept is you’re listening to a pirate radio station as radio jingles are placed between songs. There’s a song in this Who album which in turn would influence a future Beatles song, but that’s for a future entry. But yes, again, bands were very much aware of what other bands were doing back then and the competition influenced them greatly.
As far as songs? Man, I love every song on here, truly. As far as George goes, until The White Album, he is playing less guitar and is focusing on the sitar at this point. His one song on the album is “Within You Without You.” The Indian instrumentation is more noticeable than even “Love You To” and George is the only Beatle on the track. Really a sign that The Beatles were becoming less of a band and four very strong individual personalities.
Paul does have more songs than John here, kind of a reverse of the earlier albums. The absolute stand out to me is “A Day in the Life.” Remember when I said “Nowhere Man” and “We Can Work it Out” are two of my three favorite Beatle songs? “A Day in the Life” is the third song. Interesting in that this is a John song with strong help from Paul in the bridge while “We Can Work it Out” is a Paul song with strong help from John in the bridge. I love those two working together. But yeah, John’s vocal in spine chilling beautiful here. Ringo’s drumming is amazing, extremely compositional and creative and not easy to copy. The chord changes are great accented by Paul’s rhythmic and melodic bass playing. Then there is that 24 bar orchestral thing where an entire orchestra goes improvisational. They have to start and end in the same place, but the bars in between make for some satisfying chaos.
As a bassist, yeah, Paul steps it up a notch again. Tone wise, I can see the influence from Carol Kaye’s playing on The Beach Boys PET SOUNDS. My favorite lines are the melodic arpeggiated lines throughout “Lovely Rita,” the driving bass line in “Good Morning Good Morning” and the melodic syncopated lines in “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Yeah, Paul rules, a huge influence to bassists.
So yes, a fine album overall and not a single weak spot in my eyes. As far as other songs.? Well, George did have an outtake that later appeared on the YELLOW SUBMARINE soundtrack called “Only a Northern Song.” Not as good as any song on the album, I still enjoy it as a light Beatles track. I like the organ and enjoy George’s bored lyrics, basically copping to the throwaway nature. Speaking to the fact this is simply a song for the publishing company (Northern Songs). George, I get the impression, was the guy most of all who wanted out of The Beatles.
Then finally, there’s the double a side single from the session, John’s “Strawberry Fields Forever” and Paul’s “Penny Lane.” The first Beatles single since “Love Me Do” not to hit number one in the UK charts, making number two. The six month layoff and people thought The Beatles were about to become washed up. How times have changed. Today bands routinely take years between releases. The quality of the single though is incredible, both songs having some influence from childhood places yet couldn’t sound more different to one another. John’s song being an epic, droning psychedelic piece pieced from multiple takes that is quite an emotional and musical journey. The kicker at the end is the whole “I buried Paul” or in reality, “Cranberry sauce” message that has spread gossip for decades. Paul’s track is a comparatively cheerful, almost victorious sounding song with brass and woodwind instruments and a classic descending walking bass line. Love the melodic quality and the lyrical nostalgia, classic Paul. These two tracks combine make my favorite Beatles single and contrast John and Paul’s strong points brilliantly.
